Quick Facts
Biography
Robert J. Jones (born 1950/1951) is a crop physiology scientist and currently the tenth chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Jones is the first African-American to hold this office. He previously served as president of the University of Albany. In addition to his academic career, Jones was a tenor singer in Sounds of Blackness, a vocal ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota that sings gospel, soul, and R&B.
Education
Jones earned a bachelor's degree in agronomy from Fort Valley State College, a master's degree in crop physiology at the University of Georgia, and a doctorate in crop physiology at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Career
University of Minnesota
Jones' career was solidified at the University of Minnesota, where he worked for 34 years in many positions: a professor in agronomy and plant genetics, executive vice provost, and senior vice president for academic administration from 2004 to 2013. The University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center was named after Jones.
University at Albany
Following his career at the University of Minnesota, Jones served as the president of the University at Albany from 2013 to 2016. During his tenure, he created the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
In July 2016, Jones was named as the University of Illinois' tenth chancellor. According to Jones, leaving the University of Albany was one the most difficult decisions he had to make in his academic career. Jones also has a tenured faculty position in the UIUC College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences in the department of crop sciences.